Adjustable terminal



Oct. 22, 1935. I P. J. WELSH ADJUSTABLE TERMINAL Filed 0st,. 5, 1955INVENTOR I 7 BY P411 JAIME: Was/l Patented 0a; 2 2, 1935 ADJUSTABLETERMINAL Paid James Welsh, Cleveland, Ohio, asslgnor of one-fourth toCharles M. Soule, Cleveland, Ohio, an'd one-fourth to Coral R. Watson,Lakef wood, Ohio i Appllcationoctober 5, 1933, Serial No. 692,287

My invention particularly-relates to'terminal units for supportingstructures, such as scaffolding, building skeletons, aeroplaneframework, etc.

' The purpose of the-invention is to provide terminals of this naturewhich are comparatively inexpensively fabricated and assembled, whichare of' light weight" relative'to-the duty performed, and which arereadily adaptable to the desired size and arrangement of the otherelements forming the complete supporting structure.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain means embodying my invention, such means disclosing, however,but a few of the various forms in which the principle of the inventionmay be applied.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the various elements in disassembledcondition composing one form of my improved terminal, the viewsuggesting the columns or other supports with which the terminal isincorporated, and means for securing together the various terminalelements and said supports;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken in the plane indicatedby the line 2-2, Figure 1 Figure 3 is a perspective of two complementarymembers composing a second form of my improved terminal, and suggestingthe incorporation therewith of some of the support g elements connectedby the terminal;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken in the plane indicatedby the line 4 -4, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective of 'thevarious elements composing a thirdformof myiimproved terminal,

the view also showing'the means for securing together thevarious-elements, and for connecting the supporting structure tothe'terminal;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken in the plane indicatedby the line 6-6, Fig. 5; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation which illustrates the relation of myimproved terminal to a bracing structure and platform,

Referring to the annexed drawing in which the same parts are indicatedby thesame respective numbers in the several views, and" particularly:referring to Figures 1 and 2, two complementary terminal halves l whichwhen assembled form a box-like structure havinga chamber 2 are formedwith peripheral enlarged body: portions 3 having laterally-extendedspaced extensions 4, which are formed with curved and flat surfaces. andwhich,

when mated together, form laterally-extended horizontal sockets 5.? Thesocketed'extensions 4 are formed with dissimilar interiorly: andexteriorly peripheralsurfaces; preferably, as shown 4 Claims. (01. 2s754 in the drawing, the interiorly peripheral surfaces are concave andthe exteriorly peripheral surfaces are flatsurfaces ,angularly relatedto' one another.

Of course, the dissimilarity of the peripheral surfaces may take otherforms, it being understood 6 that by dissimilar peripheral surfaces aremeant peripheral surfaces which differ in more than the matter ofrelative size. The two halves I of this structure are rigidly securedtogether by means of bolts 8 passing through bolt holes 1 10 formed incorner lugs B of the peripheral enlargements 3, the bolts being fastenedby nuts 8. The chamber 2 formed by the two terminal halves I has upperand lower imperforate walls ll. It will be apparent from the aforegoingdescription 15 and upon reference to the accompanying drawing thatsuitable supporting members such as .beams or columns may be passedthrough two of the oppositely-disposed sockets 5, and the ends of othersupporting members disposed in the other pair 2 of sockets 5 abuttingthe sides of the first-mentioned support, as is illustrated by the onesupport 9 and the ends Id of two other supports, Figure 1. Thesesupports 9 and I0 which in the drawing are illustrated as of tubularconstruction are rigid- 25 1y secured in and to the terminal by means ofbolts l2 which pass through holes II formed in the extensions 4 andholes l3 formed in the tubu formed with means for accommodating verticalsupports, such as the tubular columns I6, Figure 5 1. To this'end, thereextend outwardly from the chamber walls ll tubular extensions M whichform sockets l5 adapted to accommodate the respectivelower and upperends of the verticallyaligned supports l6 which are secured in the 40sockets bybolts passing through the bolt holes 34'.

' The form of. terminal shown in Figures 1 and ,2 is particularlyserviceable for scaffoldingand for permanent building framework. Theterminal can be adjusted to height and lateral positions to any degreerequired by the particular duty or as necessitated by the propercoordination therewith of the other elements of the supportingstructure.

In the form of device shown in Figures 3 and 4, which is particularlyfor aeroplane structures, I provide means whereby twohorizontallyaligned supports 9 arranged relatively right-angularly oneto the other may pass completely 55 through the terminal unit, and tothis end the terminal is composed of two halves, each of which isessentially similar to the complete unit of Figure 1 except that one ofthe vertical extensions I4 is omitted, as also two of the sideextensions 4 and the adjacent sides of the terminal halves closed bywalls Two halves of .a body portion or unit so constructed are assembledwith theexposed faces of the walls in juxtaposition and with one halfturned in a horizontal plane through an angle of ninety degreesrelatively to the other and the two halves then rigidly secured togetherby means of bolts l8 long enough to pass through the bolt holes 1 ofboth of the terminal halves, which bolts I8 are secured by nuts l8. Itis evident that a horizontally-aligned support 9 can pass through eachhalf of the terminal, the two supports 9 being vertically adjacent andarranged in relatively right-angular directions. In this form of deviceeach terminal half is formed with one vertical extension .l4'

forming a socket l5 within which can be accommodated the end-of avertical supporting'column.

In the form of terminal shown in'Figures 5, 6, and 7, a form which isadaptable for scaffolding and building structures, each terminal half I!is formed with one vertical extension 20 and a series of spacedhorizontal extensions 2|, three in number, whereby, when the terminalhalves are assembled, there are respectively formed a pair of spacedvertically-aligned sockets 22- for upright supporting members, and threelateral sockets 23 to accommodate one horizontal support 24 passingthrough the terminal, and the end of a horizontal support 25. Thesupports 24 and 25 are rigidly secured within andto the terminal bymeans of bolt holes 26 formed in the supports 24 and 25 and bolt holes21 formed in the extensions 2|, which bolt holes receive U- bolts 29secured by means of nuts 30. It will be noted in Figure 5 that theU-bolts 29 are considerably longer than the distance across theextension 2|. This bolt length is for the purpose of permitting thesecuring within the U-bolts 29 between the extensions 2| and the nuts 30of X- braces 3| forming part of the supporting structure, the flooringor platform 33 being secured to these braces 3|, as clearly shown inFigure 7. In this form of terminal the two terminal halves N form achamber 28 intermediate of and communicating with the opposed pair oflateral sockets 23 which chamber 28 is separated from the upper andlower sockets 22 by the partition walls 32, against which partitionwalls the ends of the vertically-aligned uprights, supports or columnsl6 abut, these columns l6 being secured in the sockets 22 by boltspassing through the bolt holes 34 formed in the extensions 20.

What I claim is:

1. A coupling for supporting structural members comprising separablecomplementary parts and means for securing said separable partstogether, said coupling having socketed extensions the interiorly andexteriorly peripheral surfaces of which are dissimilar whereby eachextension is adapted to interflt closely with structural mem- 5 bers ofdissimilar forms, and said means including fasteners each of which has aleg portion extending through one of said separable complementary parts,a second leg portion extending through another of said separablecomplementary 10 parts, and a base portion connecting said leg portionsand extending across said two separable complementary parts thereby tosecure the latter together.

2. A coupling for supporting structural meml5 bers comprising separablecomplementary parts and U-shaped means for securing said separable partstogether, said coupling having socketed extensions the interiorlyperipheral surfaces of a which are curved and the exteriorly peripheral20 surfaces of which are flat whereby the sockets of said extensions areadaptedv to interfit closely with structural members having curvedsurfaces and the exterior surfaces of said extensions are adapted tointerfit closely'with structural mem- 25 bers having fiat surfaces.

3. A coupling for supporting'structural members comprising separablecomplementary parts and, means for securing said separable partstogether, each of said separable parts having extension por- 30 tionsformed with curvedsurfaces and with fiat surfaces so related that, whensaid separable complementary parts are mated together, socketedextensions are formed which have interior curved surfaces adapted tointeriltclosely with structural members having curved surfaces and whichhave exterior flat surfaces adapted to interiit closely with structuralmembers having flat surfaces, and said means including U-shaped boltsassociated with the socketed extensions in such 40 manner that one legof each bolt extends throughan extension portion of one complementarypart, the other leg of each bolt extends through the mating extensionportion of another complementary part, and the base of each bolt extendsacross said complementary parts thereby to secure the latter together.

4. A coupling for supporting structural members comprising separablecomplementary parts, each of which has extension portions provided withsurfaces such that, when said separable complementary parts are matedtogether, socketed extensions are formed the interiorly and exteriorlyperipheral surfaces of which are dissimilar so that said socketedextensions are adapted to interfit closely with structural members-ofdissimilar forms, and U-shaped fastening means for securing saidseparable parts together and for securing structural members to saidsocketed extensions.

PAUL'JAMES WELSH.

